Guitar Theory

The Role of Touch in Acoustic Guitar Tone

2026-09-04T17:17:37+01:00

Acoustic guitar tone is often discussed in terms of wood, strings, body shape and construction. All of these matter, but they are only part of the picture. The player’s touch has an equally important influence on sound. Two guitarists can play the same instrument, with the same strings, in the same room, and still produce noticeably different tones. One may sound warm and rounded, while the other sounds bright, direct or percussive. The difference often comes from how the strings are approached, struck and released. Understanding the role of touch in acoustic guitar tone can help players develop greater control, musical [...]

The Role of Touch in Acoustic Guitar Tone2026-09-04T17:17:37+01:00

What Is Diatonic Harmony and Why Does It Matter for Guitarists?

2026-06-09T12:08:07+01:00

Many guitarists begin by learning chord shapes, scales, riffs and songs, often before studying much theory. This is a natural and practical way to start, but over time, deeper questions usually appear: why do certain chords work together, and why do some progressions feel more resolved than others?What is Diatonic Harmony and why does it matter for guitarists?In simple terms, it is the understanding of how chords and scales belong together within a key.This knowledge helps guitarists move beyond memorised shapes and recognise how music is organised directly on the fretboard.For adult guitar learners, diatonic harmony can make theory feel clearer, [...]

What Is Diatonic Harmony and Why Does It Matter for Guitarists?2026-06-09T12:08:07+01:00

The Circle of Fifths Explained (For Guitar)

2025-08-18T19:57:48+01:00

What is the circle of fifths? The circle of fifths is a tool, often displayed as a circular diagram, which shows us the 12 keys found within the chromatic scale, as well as their corresponding key signatures. This tool is a staple in not just music theory, but also within all melodic instruments to understand what sharps (♯)/flats (♭) are found within certain keys, which in turn will dictate what notes will be available to you when playing a particular piece. Let’s Take a Look! Use the diagram above as a reference as we talk through the different keys - this topic of the [...]

The Circle of Fifths Explained (For Guitar)2025-08-18T19:57:48+01:00

Is There Any Point to Learning Scales, or Are They Only Good as a Warm-Up Exercise?

2024-09-16T21:07:56+01:00

Yes, it’s great to run through some scales to warm up your fingers before jumping into your most recent song that you’re working on, but is that all that they’re good for? Absolutely not! Here are just a few examples of when you can draw on your knowledge of scales to make yourself a better guitarist and musician. Improvising One major area of playing an instrument that will require knowledge of scales is when you are improvising. Improvising will require prior knowledge of not only how to play scales on the guitar (or your instrument of choice), but when it [...]

Is There Any Point to Learning Scales, or Are They Only Good as a Warm-Up Exercise?2024-09-16T21:07:56+01:00

Guitar Music Theory

2024-09-07T19:01:49+01:00

As a guitarist, you've likely encountered music theory at some point in your journey. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced musician, understanding the basics of music theory can elevate your playing and open up new possibilities for creativity and expression. In this article, we'll delve into the world of guitar music theory, exploring the fundamental concepts and techniques that will help you take your playing to the next level. What is guitar music theory? Guitar music theory is the discipline of understanding the underlying principles and concepts that govern the creation and performance of music on the guitar. It [...]

Guitar Music Theory2024-09-07T19:01:49+01:00

How to Learn Songs by Ear on the Guitar

2024-03-06T08:43:43+00:00

Listen to the bass! Learning songs by ear is a lot of fun, and a skill that will come in extremely handy for you both at home for your own enjoyment and in jam sessions/rehearsals when you need to be able to pick things up quickly without TAB’s or sheet music. When starting off on your ear training journey, keep things simple and try to learn a simple four-chord-song that will have pretty straightforward information for you to transcribe. Let’s take “With Or Without You” by U2 as our first example. This will use the same four chords the entire way [...]

How to Learn Songs by Ear on the Guitar2024-03-06T08:43:43+00:00

The 50s Chord Progression – A Progression Used In A Thousand Songs!

2024-01-02T12:26:40+00:00

Introduction:The 1950s was a transformative era for music, marked by the emergence of rock and roll, doo-wop, and the birth of iconic chord progressions that continue to captivate audiences today. One such chord progression, often referred to as the "50s chord progression," has become a classic and is a staple in countless songs across various genres. In this article, we'll explore the magic of this chord progression and dive into a curated list of songs that have utilised its timeless appeal.Understanding the '50s Chord Progression:The '50s chord progression is characterised by its simplicity and emotional resonance. It typically follows a I-vi-IV-V [...]

The 50s Chord Progression – A Progression Used In A Thousand Songs!2024-01-02T12:26:40+00:00

The Importance of Rhythm Guitar

2023-03-16T08:47:15+00:00

Rhythm Guitar is The Glue! So we all love a good bit of lead guitar. Slash’s “Sweet Child ‘O Mine” guitar solos, Angus Young’s iconic solos during “Back In Black”, and Kirk Hammett’s shredding in “Enter Sandman”. But one thing that all these great songs and guitar solos have in common is that they all possess a great rhythm guitarist keeping the whole thing together. Guns ’N Roses have Izzy Stradlin playing a mix of arpeggiated open chords and thick distorted powerchords throughout Slash’s guitar solos, AC/DC have Malcom Young rocking away on those classic rock open chords, and Metallica [...]

The Importance of Rhythm Guitar2023-03-16T08:47:15+00:00

How To Play Major and Minor Triads Horizontally Across The Guitar Neck!

2023-02-03T13:30:35+00:00

What Are Triads? So before we start jumping into playing triads across the guitar neck, let’s have a recap of what  triads are to start with. The triad is the simplest form of a chord that we have in music, comprised of  three notes stacked on top of each other, hence the name. The triad comes from the major or natural  minor scale, and is formed when you play the 1st, 3rd and 5th degrees together at the same time.  These three notes can go on to form the core of many other different types of chords. Whether you know [...]

How To Play Major and Minor Triads Horizontally Across The Guitar Neck!2023-02-03T13:30:35+00:00

Is the guitar relevant in pop music?

2021-08-15T11:27:57+01:00

Why is the guitar less prominent these days? To most people, pop music these days means slick, polished production that appears near perfect, although the sound of pop and what exactly is pop music is something that has changed drastically throughout the decades. Pop music of the 1960s and 1970s was far less “perfect”, as this was an age of minimal editing of the band or artists performance once they had been recorded in the studio, as the performance was already committed on tape. These days however, digital audio workstations (DAW’s) allow for endless editing meaning the performance that goes into [...]

Is the guitar relevant in pop music?2021-08-15T11:27:57+01:00
Go to Top